


The Boy Who Lived...in Hufflepuff

by arcadian88



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 00:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22006861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcadian88/pseuds/arcadian88
Summary: “I’m not a bad guy! I just have a bad personality. It’s not my fault.” - Fleabag Season 2How one shitty Hufflepuff came to be.
Kudos: 2





	The Boy Who Lived...in Hufflepuff

Except for the fact that he was a wizard, Zacharias Smith was an exceptionally average boy. He was of average height with brown eyes that peeked out of dirty blond hair fringe. His mother and father ran a bakery in the Bronx just below their small apartment upstairs. They employed Zach starting at the age of eight as a delivery boy. Zach disliked the job for a number of reasons but mainly because his labor lacked financial compensation. The only money he got from the job was in the form of tips from customers who delighted in seeing the small skinny dirty blond haired boy every morning on their doorstep with their freshly baked bread. Zach resented being called "cute" and thought that any job requiring one to be up at the ass crack of dawn hours was overrated. When asked about the possibility of a salary his parents response was that this was a “family business” and if Zach really needed money for something, it had to be something practical and only then his parents would happily fund it (it was either things for school or possibly new clothing if it couldn’t be found used).

“What do kids your age need their own money for anyways?” contemplated his father at dinner after Zach had tried unsuccessfully for the fifth time to ask for pocket money.

"What's it to you?" Zach responded reproachfully. "You don't give a shit about me as long as I help with "the family business."

"One, don't speak to your father like that and two, language." his mother said sharply poking at a potato. "I knew we shouldn't have let you hang out with those hooligans down the block, they're a bad influence on you."

"They're my friends mum and besides I learned that from dad when he tried to keep that loaf of bread from falling coming out of the oven that one time and yet still dropped it." 

  
***************************************************

  
The day his Hogwarts letter came in the mail was also the day Zach found out about one of his father’s best kept secrets. His father, Jonathan was a wizard. Well he used to be that is, Jonathan had beckoned Zach into the kitchen and brought down the ceramic cookie jar and withdrew a photo, his last and only reminder that he once lived in the wizarding world. To Zach’s amazement the portrait moved, it showed Hepzibah Smith, one of Zach’s very distance relatives, sitting in an armchair sipping tea. Hepzibah Smith was thought to be a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founders of Hogwarts. Growing up Jonathan had never shown an aptitude for magic and his time at Hogwarts had done nothing to enhance him as a spellcaster. Unable to cope with the pressure of his wizarding extended family, Johnathan had snapped his wand and fled the wizarding world. 

"So let me get this straight," said Zach leaning against his mother's vanity. "You were a wizard who gave up magic because you didn't like your family?"

"It's more complicated than that." his father snapped. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Zach's relationship with his father had always been rocky. They didn't have a lot in common and even though his mother called him a "happy surprise" Zach knew that on some level his father just saw him as another mouth to feed. 

  
  
Despite Johnathan’s rocky history with the magical world, his parents were overjoyed about the prospect of not having to pay tuition for their son’s schooling. In turn, they were also disappointed that they were going to have to find a new delivery boy and Smith Bakery was no longer going to be a family business. Zach felt both curious and annoyed about the revelation that he was a wizard. He was interested to go to the school where his father went but also disliked change and this Hogwarts place seemed like it was going to be a big one.  
****************************************************  
His mother was a stickler for time so much so that they got to the train station 2 hours early and after leading Zach through the barrier his father had turned right around and gone back through. So Zach had gotten to sit on a train bench with his trunk, growing increasingly irritated at being left alone, and watch other young witches and wizards trickle onto Platform nine and three quarters. As he observed his new classmates from afar Zach was already unimpressed with what he saw. Everyone was far too happy thought Zach. It was school for godsake, how could anyone be happy about school? Only nerds were excited about the prospect of learning, thought Zach resolutely and although he did not think to claim himself as being cooler than a nerd but he definitely did not associate himself as being one of them.  
*****************************************************  
Zach made his way along the train compartments looking for an empty seat in the company of someone who looked tolerable enough to sit next to for the journey. He came to an open cabin and saw a boy sitting there by himself engrossed in a book.  
Good, hopefully he’ll be quiet, thought Zach as he knocked lightly on the glass door.

“Anyone sitting there?” asked Zach indicating to the empty seat opposite the boy.

“Not at all,” said the boy with a smile. “Please, make yourself comfortable.” waving Zach in.

“I’ve just been reading the limited extended version of Hogwarts: A History that includes a special chapter about the Hogwarts Express.” the boy began as Zach stowed his trunk on the luggage rack.

“When the Hogwarts Express was first made in 1827 the seat covers were made from demiguise wool but that was quickly recovered with muggle polyester as it could be better magically insulated and did not become invisible giving off the impression that passengers were performing levitation whilst in a seated position.” Zach stared at him.

“Oh forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself, Ernie Macmillan.” said the boy holding out his hand.

They shook hands and Zach settled himself in his seat and looked out at the landscape passing by allowing Ernie’s continuous monologue about Hogwarts fade into background noise. Admittedly Ernie probably was not the worst person to be stuck in a train compartment with for several hours. He did most of the talking and all Zach had to do was nod and add in an “Uh huh”, “Probably” at a pause or ask “How so?” to keep the conversation going. A little while after lunch two large masses slammed against the compartment door that shattered with an almighty crash. Zach choked on his chocolate frog in surprise and Ernie toppled out of his seat.

Amidst the broken glass lay two, impressively large for their age, boys on top of each other giggling with Ernie sprawled in the corner.

“Whoops.” said one boy getting up and snickering.

“Haha.” said the other barely holding in more giggles.

Just then another boy with gleaming blond hair, proportionally smaller than the two that were still on the floor appeared at the door.

“Crabbe, Goyle” said the boy sharply. “What on earth are you doing?.”

Crabbe and Goyle immediately stopped poking each other and assumed positions flanking the smaller boy.

“Playing footsies.” replied Crabbe immediately before realizing what he said and going red.

“Wrestling, we were wrestling in the hallway.” added Goyle shuffling his feet.

“Idiots.” muttered the boy under his breath before looking up and realizing that the compartment held two other occupants.

“Draco Malfoy.” he said puffing out his chest. Zach let out a snicker before he could stop himself.

“Think my name is funny do you?” Draco asked, lip curling as he took in Zach’s obviously second hand clothes.

“The way you say it is.” replied Zach eyes narrowing.

Draco stepped forward into the compartment. Crabbe and Goyle tried to follow but their combined width was greater than the door frame which they bumped into.

“I’ll have you know my father is-”

Ernie, sensing the escalating tension, scrambled up.

“This is Zacharias Smith and I’m Ernie Macmillan, we’re also first years like you.” he said extending a hand. Draco looked at it suspiciously.

“Are you a pureblood?” Draco asked, watching Ernie’s hand awkwardly fall back. Before either boy could reply a girl with bushy brown hair appeared.

“Oh my.” she said looking at the glass shards scattered everywhere. “I was just talking with the conductor about the history of the Hogwarts Express and we heard the crash and he asked me to go see if everything was alright.”

“Ernie Macmillan,” gasped Ernie rushing up to her and grasping her hand. “Big fan of the Hogwarts Express myself.”

“I’m Hermione Granger,” said Hermione shaking Ernie’s hand and gently releasing it. “I’m going to get a Prefect to come by and repair this.” she said and slipped away. At the mention of a Prefect soon to be in the vicinity Draco glared and retreated with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.

“See you round Smith.” Draco said and swept out of the compartment.

“Well that was something,” said Zach aloud to no one in particular.

“Mmmmhmmm.” said Ernie still staring at the spot where Hermione had disappeared. “Do you think Hermione will be back with the Prefect?”

A Prefect by the name of Percy Weasley came by a little while later and repaired the glass door and then spent the rest of the train ride with them as Ernie quizzed him about his wand movement and spellcasting.  
*************************************************  
When the Hogwarts Express finally arrived at its destination Zach was relieved to escape the train’s compartment and prayed that he did not end up in the same house as that Ernie fellow. Although Hagrid was impressive in terms of size he did smell like dead ferrets and burnt cakes for some reason which Zach did not find appealing and it was just his luck that he ended up in Hagrid’s boat along with a girl named Susan Bones. They chatted about the imminent House sorting process which Zach found helpful and more interesting than listening to Ernie’s recount of miscellaneous Hogwarts facts.  
*************************************************  
“Smith, Zacharias.” called Professor McGonagall.

As soon as the brim of the Sorting Hat fell over Zach’s eyes it began speaking.

“So, Zacharias Smith.” the Sorting Hat’s gravelly voice echoed in Zach’s head.

“Here to follow, and oh I see, reclaim some respect for the Smith name your father dragged through the mud years ago. Hmm...interesting, courage and yet I also sense selfishness and overall disdain for others. How contradictory.”

“Hurry up and get on with it. You smell and I don’t want to get lice.” muttered Zach.

“Rude and impatient,” the Hat continue almost sneering. “Yes, you are quite unremarkable and only grudgingly helpful. It will be interesting to see what Hogwarts does to you boy.”

“Hufflepuff!” The hat shouted.


End file.
